Tree-sitter declares hunger strike

Amanda "Warbler" Senseman lowered all her food to the ground Thursday morning from her tree-sit platform about 50 feet above ground along Highway 101 south of Willits and announced she was on a hunger strike.

Senseman has been sitting in a tree protesting the current Willits bypass project since January 28. Her tree is currently guarded night and day by a large group of California Highway Patrol officers. The officers began preventing Senseman's supporters from delivering food and water to her starting March 22.

Since the first round of eight protester arrests on March 21, there have been at least five more arrests for trespassing as of Thursday morning.

CHP officers are quick to respond to any sign of photographers or reporters even approaching the work area-whether it is marked or not-chasing down the "trespassers" and telling them to move along or be arrested. This continues to occur even on county and state right of ways.

CalTrans has coned off the shoulders of Highway 101 near the south end of the bypass and placed signs indicating roadwork. In reality the only road work is to prevent photographers, reporters or protesters from stopping in the hypothetical construction zone.

CalTrans official position is the clearly marked construction zone is off limits for worker and protester safety, according to CalTrans spokesman Phil Frisbie. Why CHP has expanded this to include a much wider area is unclear.

The officers guarding the road near Senseman's tree spend most of their time milling around next to their cars looking at the protesters gathered on the hill opposite. CalTrans vehicles and large gravel trucks are coming and going along this road throughout the day.

Some valley residents near the construction zone are questioning the need to have noisy diesel or gasoline powered lights operating all night in the area of the three tree sits.

Senseman told TWN last week she was prepared to be cut off from supporters, having stockpiled food and water for that possibility. Last Friday, after a CalTrans supervisor read her a statement through a bullhorn, Senseman believed officers were preparing to "extract" her from the tree.

This week the brush- and tree-cutting began along the bypass route in earnest as the contractor attempted to get the stalled project back on schedule.

The sound of earthmoving equipment, chainsaws and flail mowers has filled the valley in the area east of Senseman's tree-sit. A diesel power light has kept the tree-sit area brightly lit at night.

Senseman had originally lowered a statement Thursday morning from her tree-sit to be read to the gathered press and her supporters. The CHP seized the statement as evidence so Senseman read the following statement via cell phone through her adoptive mother Sarah Grusky:

"Currently I am witnessing the destruction of my home. CalTrans is clearing multiple areas for destruction-cutting trees, clearing brush-despite the fact that the Federal Migratory Bird Act is in effect as of February 1, 2013. California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers have been deployed from around the state to occupy our valley. The occupation is complete with helicopter fly-bys and 24-hour surveillance.

"This project is obsolete and it will cause irreparable damage to our watershed, forest, and community. The life that this valley harbors will not survive this assault on its biological integrity. I am 24 years old and I want a future, and a future for my children. I will remain on hunger strike until the following demands are met: